Working as a field interviewer for Ipsos MORI

CramondIsle

Seconding the advice to stay far away from the Edinburgh office, and probably IM as a whole. I spent two months on the National Student Survey there - the target was five complete surveys an hour, but you were lucky if that many people answered the phone! Most of the supervisors I met were decent but there were enough exceptions to make the job nightmarish. And for bonus points, I got stuck on the evening shift for weeks on end.

There's a reason they're always advertising - nobody can stick it out at the place.

bald_rick

A friend of mine worked there and only had bad things to say about the place.

Check the posts and links in this Reddit thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Edinburgh/comments/9whe32/ipsos_mori_call_centre_in_leith/

Qwerki

Well - I'm going to say something completely different.



I did approx 6 months at Ipsos Mori - Loved it.


IPSOS is a well known brand and if that doesn't get you in the doors then then nothing will. I remember having a target of 9 interviews in one day and blew the target in one little circle of houses. IPSOS were more trusting of their staff than other market research companies I can think off. Bad weather days are tough but then again walking around the streets in Summer is a big plus. You get to meet all sorts of people and get a good idea of what life is like out there. Worth a shot even if you decide it's not for you.

Marvel1

I don't work for them, but I'm happy for my monthly £10 Amazon voucher for running their app on my phone

Murked

I had to register just to share my experience with folk thinking about applying to work for these people.

I got sent to the middle of a really shady housing estate and had to walk past syringes, needles and all sorts! :eek: When I got back to my car a couple of kids were trying to break into it. Thankfully I'm a big guy and my large frame was probably enough to get them to run off.

When I got out of there, I spoke to my manager who told me:

Well, that happens in those places. Just be careful if you have any more interviews to complete there.!

They didn't even bother to ask me how I was! Having spoken to a couple of other folk they had other types of bad experiences (thankfully, nothing as bad as mine) dealing with the managers. Reporting it made no difference either.

Without doubt one of the worst jobs I've ever done.

I'm glad the job worked has out for some folk. It really depends on which area (and more importantly) what area manager you have to make this job work, personally I don't think it's worth the hassle.

bald_rick

Checked that Reddit thread again, someone posted a link to an article about a woman who was nearly raped while doing the job! :eek:

https://www.scotsman.com/news-2-15012/knifepoint-sex-attack-victim-tells-of-baby-joy-1-1330302

A PREGNANT attempted rape victim today spoke of her joy after her baby was born eight months after the terrifying assault.

Josephine Bagasina, 33, was convinced she was going to be killed when convicted sex offender Gordon Melrose lured her into his Leith flat.

The mum-of-two, who was carrying out market research near her home, was six weeks pregnant at the time - but did not know she was expecting until a check-up four days later.

She was pinned down by knife-wielding Melrose but managed to escape when she grabbed a mug and smashed it over his head.

Josephine, known as Joy to her friends, is now the proud mother of her third child Kieran, who was born on July 8, eight months on from the day she describes as the worst of her life.

Joy had been working for Ipsos Mori as a door-to-door market researcher on November 7 last year when she was assaulted.

She said: "I was petrified he would kill me, and I didn't think I would get out of there alive.

"I felt angry and I was so scared at the time. I thought he was going to have sex with me, kill me and dump my body.

"I was pregnant at the time but I hadn't found out yet. He wasn't just hurting me, he was hurting my unborn baby as well.

"If I hadn't made it out of there alive I would never have had the chance to tell my boyfriend I was pregnant, and to tell my two little boys they were going to have another brother or sister."

Melrose has been convicted of assaulting the researcher with intent to rape her at the High Court in Edinburgh and was expected to be returning to prison yesterday.

However, sentence has now been deferred to allow yet more time for background reports to be prepared.

Melrose, who has served two prison sentences for serious assault and sex attacks, is now due to be sentenced on October 1.

He had pushed her onto the sofa, held a knife at her throat, and put his hand over her mouth and nose. He then demanded that she undress and threatened to kill her, before punching her repeatedly.

The divorced mum, who is originally from the Philippines and moved to Britain seven years ago, had been juggling two jobs to make ends meet.

In the mornings she worked as a check-out operator at her local supermarket, and in the afternoons, before she picked up her two other sons, aged 10 and 5, from school, Joy would go round the doors carrying out market research.

But following the terrifying attack, Joy has not returned to her interviewing job.

She said: "I am a single mum working for a living to survive and look after my two boys.

"I didn't deserve this, I was working away and living an honest life. He had no right to take advantage of me like that.

"I don't know how he could be so disrespectful.

"There is no way I could face going back to my market research job."

The brave mother added: "I am so happy that he has been found guilty for my children and for other interviewer workers. I just hope he gets the prison sentence he deserves.

suki1964

bald_rick wrote: »

Checked that Reddit thread again, someone posted a link to an article about a woman who was nearly raped while doing the job! :eek:

https://www.scotsman.com/news-2-15012/knifepoint-sex-attack-victim-tells-of-baby-joy-1-1330302

As I said in my post

I jacked it in when because one day, I was soaking wet, freezing cold, had doors closed on my face all day, that I took an interview in the home of a single male who was paraletic drunk. I was in there over an hour, repeating questions because I was so desperate to hit target. When I left his home, I rang straight in and quit/QUOTE]

I had never before in all my years put myself in such danger working in research

All my other firms, when you explained it was a rough area ( door and window grilles, mattresses burning on the greens, syringes in every corner ) would send a couple of co workers with you and often if you couldn't get daylight interviews, wrote the area off. After all if paramedic and the fire brigade won't go in without police back up, why should market researchers?

I would never have gone in that mans house working with any other company, but the pressure to get interviews because of the low pay, made me risk it